Eric Schmidt tells senators that Siri could be a "threat" to Google

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt has seen the future of search, and he is afraid that it might just be a disembodied voice. Responding to follow-up questions written by U.S. senators on the anti-trust committee following a September hearing, Schmidt calls Apple's voice activated personal assistant Siri a "significant development" that could overtake Google's search engine in the future. Writing about Siri, Schmidt said, "Even in the few weeks since the hearing, Apple has launched an entirely
new approach to search technology with Siri, its voice-activated search
and task-completion service built into the iPhone 4S." The executive noted how two publications have called Siri a "Google-Killer" and the first step by Apple to enter the search business.

Schmidt admitted that he was wrong back in September 2010 when he said that both Apple and Facebook did not pose a threat to Google's search business. He wrote, "My statement was clearly wrong. Apple’s Siri is a
significant development—a voice-activated means of accessing answers
through iPhones that demonstrates the innovations in search." He added that Google has plenty of competition and that sometimes new competitiors are overlooked. He pointed out that Google competes against other search engines like Yahoo and Bing, specialized search engines like WebMD, Kayak and eBay, social networks like Twitter and Facebook, commercial software firms like Apple and Microsoft, third party apps and navigational tools.

In communicating with an anti-trust committee, it obviously makes sense for Schmidt to make Google sound like just another competitor in the searchh industry, and not a possible monopoly. He states, "By investing smartly, hiring extremely talented engineers, and working
very, very hard (and with some good luck), Google has been blessed with
a great deal of success." Google current controls 65% of U.S. search inquiries, 94% in Europe and 97% of smartphone searches.

If I were him, I'd be more worried if Apple let you search Siri via typing as well. I just can't see a situation, in public, where I'd rather ask a question vocally rather than typing it in, for privacy reasons as well as respecting other people.

THis is like AT&T talking about how bad their network is when they needed to buy AT&T. Google doesn't to get split up like Microsoft so they're gonna say the Siri is a huge threat. It's all legal posturing. Nothing will ever really be a big threat to Google at least not for the foreseeable future.

+1. It is definitely posturing before a congressional committee. Google has a huge lead in Internets search. If they sat on their laurels, maybe competitors could catch up with them in say, 5 years or so.

I don't see Google resting on their laurels. If Siri really is a competitive threat, expect enhancements to Google Voice or an acquisition in the near future. In any event, it will be a good time to be an Android handset owner, cause Google is going to use innovation to increase their market lead.

Sorry, Apple fans, but the leapfrog effort that Google released with ICS is going to happen again real soon.

Agreed! Google is not the kind of company that sits and waits to be destroyed, One of the person that called Siri A Google Killer actually said Apple killed Rim, This argument Is debatable because the Market Share that has being severally expanded Is android not apple So Android Killed Rim (Lets Be Honest Rim Actually hanged itself).

Google is just trowing a scapegoat so apple has to deal with the feds while they consider their options, I could see follow ups demanding to know how apple decides what page info to display or if it could lead to certain preferences and other laws, Google has a vast experience in that

@proto. No one said that google is sitting ducks. They're very aggressive in copying what the next big thing is with Apple devices, lol. Apple killed RIM, because there are substantial reports that point out that Blackberry users have switched and are switching to the iphone. Android users are mostly nokia/symbian users who hate Apple, lol. So android does not have a significant number of blackberry converts.

Google is not throwing a scapegoat, you are. Making excuses for google. Android is an iOS knock off. Always remember that. Who did Steve call the traitor again?

Completely Agree.. its all "absolute worst case scenario" to make them look like they arent in the strong position they are in. Its just like when ATT kept trying to convince us they would fail as a company and not roll out LTE to any real capacity without the Tmobile merger... yet here they are launching LTE.. lol.

Siri is no threat to google. Siri and voice commands are neat but in reality few people use them (i do all the time but i know im one of few).

Its probably going to be another 3-5 years before we start seeing a large portion of users actually using voice commands regularly... thats how I feel anyways. And thats probably going to be as much about voice commands to the car while your driving as it is in any other device.

On a side note, I had no idea they only controlled 65% of the US search.. lol.. i thought it was closer to like 75-85%.. lol

If you learned to read, you would see where I said "in reality few people use them (i do all the time but i know im one of few). "

Hense, I use voice commands very regularly.

Siri is nothing special. It is an evolution of the system yes, but its not breaking ground. Instead of having 1 way per command it recognizes multiple. Its not magic, its not some secret apple nonsense.. its simply the programming having more key words to chose from. Its an evolution of the system.

The thing I find interesting is that Siri basically adopts a standard voice command model but adds in the ability to reply by voice just like the same technology we bitch and moan about when trying to call our bank, or mobile carrier or insurance carrier or whomever. Most of us always end up screaming about wanting to speak to a human in the end anyways.

Something about having a conversation with my cell phone about where to find food, or gas or anything doesn't appeal to me. Sure I use voice commands with my phone and for search but I have never once thought "man I really wish this thing would talk back to me".

It's not a safety feature, it doesn't improve ones ability to search and it doesn't have the ability to find new places to go. IMO it's just bells and whistles but again to each his/her own.

"In communicating with an anti-trust committee, it obviously makes sense for Schmidt to make Google sound like just another competitor in the searchh industry, and not a possible monopoly."

Google has their hands in everything! They aren't stupid. They're going to say what they need to in order to avoid any law suits or restrictions for monopolizing, which is essentially what they're doing.

Right now siri is alrdy rly good. And it's beta. I don't think google can come up with something better now. there is 40 years of developpement in Siri. Ask siri to tell a story and you know what I mean.

My personal opinion is that each operating system has its adherents. There seem to be more users of Android than iOS or WP7 combined. I wish iOS the best of luck because new iOS developments seem to drive Android to ever greater accomplishments.

Many of the 40 years of development behind Siri were the result of a DARPA development effort. That knowledge is arguably in the public domain, should Apple attempt to assert some exclusivity over Siri. IF Siri starts to make inroads on the Google ecosystem, I expect Google to turn on the development effort just like what was done with ICS.

I personally think differently. you say android is better than iOS and wp combined. I like android for the reason it's great to customise with widgets and all other things. But you don't get a full 2.0 update on an android device.

Apple is awesome cuz it's inovating, and user friendly. I know you can say they're slow with some things, you guys say copied this copied that. But there are also some things android copied. apple (2007) android (2008)

about Siri, we'll see what google has in mind xD hopefully if they succeed integrating something similiar and even better then i'm impresssed and I'll buy an android device. (maybe)

Android is an amazing OS but it's very fragmented at the same time, also Google fails to realize that Apple is successful because of the content it offers (Rich App Store, iTunes for Music and Movies, and also iBooks) not because of Dual-Core processors, high resolution displays, and 17 MP Cameras. This doesn't mean I don't like Android but Google can certainly do better at providing better content.

iOS is also very good but lack of customization and the iPhone being only one phone which they offer may not be to everyone's liking.

Windows Phone is where I can certainly see a bright future for Microsoft. It's not fragmented like Android because of Microsoft's requirements from every OEM, and it also adds a good looking and useful UI where it isn't just pages of apps doing nothing at all. Also, the OS is filthy smooth like iOS when opening or switching from one app to another when it still runs on phones with single-core processors! Give it some time for the Marketplace to grow and it will certainly become a powerful competitor on par with Android and iOS.

That is my opinion, I personally would like to own the best smartphone from every mobile OS.

Muh,
I think Google got that note last year. They have been really busy developing content for android. Books, then movies, music by the cloud, and soon its own music service like itunes. ICS brings huge improvements for app APIs as well.
Take all the great things about android, the good stuff from apple and WP7, smash it all together with a helping of stability, keep it open and not controlled, update controls to reduce fragmentation, and things we havent thought of yet... and I think thats where Android and the vast majority of new phones will be at next holiday season. (almost all of that stuff is already here or on the way with ICS)

You're right about Google having Books, Movies, Google Music and other stuff. But to me and other Android users around the world (Not the USA or Europe) won't be able to use all these new features because it'll take them loads of time to expand internationally. How do I know this? I live in Saudi Arabia and I can't even buy one app properly because paid apps aren't supported yet. Even Google Maps isn't supported in my region from the Android Market so I have to download an APK for it.

While I agree that so far wp7 doesn't have fragmentation, the first phones released with the OS will not be upgradable forever. I would imagine that when windows 8 shows some deivces will not be updatable.

Each OS will end up with fragmentation. Apple has it as well, the first 2 models have been shut out and with the latest update they have sorta shut out the i4 and 3GS (for Siri at least).

Basically the faster the OS innovates, the more fragmentation there will be. Android is upgrading at an almost unsustainable pace so it has the most fragmentation. Apple is second and wp7 is third. BB will even be fragmented when they go to their QNX (or BBX) OS.

I don't see the big problem with fragmentation. In anything there should be differing devices or products offered. A high end, midrange, low end of what ever. I think that it works well and covers the bases well. It gets the premium buyers and all points in between. Everyone does not want the top of the line they just want something that works well. Android covers this and WP7 covers this and we are seeing now that Apple is looking to cover this. Apple now has the 3gs, 4 and 4s models at different price points and functionality. You can tell all the companies are looking to capture a wide array of users of different experience.

Oh look, Google are now trying to use extortion because they didn't come up with Siri or Facebook. Now they're trying to be anticompetitive. Perhaps Google should stop trying to jump in things they are not successful in.

Even if it poses a "threat" to Google's search engine, it would take them years to replace Google's search engine with something better just like how it would take them years to replace Google Maps with something of their own. Apple shouldn't forget that Google has YouTube on their side as well, not sure how that can help but it'll probably end up with something fruitful.

Title is misleading. In the article we see (and you say it) that it's just a statement for regulators. In the tile we had the impression it was a sincere statement, a kind of strategic analyse by the CEO of Google.

This is funny what Eric is doing trying to make Apple feel good about Siri. Honestly be serious this siri will add up to NOTHING of any importance in the near future just another USELESS APPLE FEATURE...

I like this google admits a challenge and they are open to search engine competition wonderful. Good to know their first response is not going to the courts for patents. And fyi for that iphone fan its funny how u keep making remarks about android users who claim they like android better than ios yet in every comment you make you passsively in a sly way keep saying you like ios is better than android and its more innovative than android talk about double standards.

Lol wow I wasn't even talking about you, I was talking about that "iphone fan" in general . So your response just proves your one of those fans yet you say you aren't? Please save yourself the embrassment and stop trying to kid yourself. And fyi I have always said iphone is a solid built phone and user friendly I just think it doesn't offer me the utility I need and I can't stand when you ask an iphone user why do you have an iphone and their response is its "the best". I love any os that offers the most utility and that's my prefence but I appreciate your honestly and open about your iphone is the "best syndrome"

Hate? Problems? Lol listen phones are materialistic things that don't generate any emotional attachments to them especially hate there's bigger things going on in the world to "hate" a toy. Stop using "hate" its not healthy :)

I thought that Siri even used Google to find search results as well as other search engines. (Wolfram Alpha I think) This is an attempt to head off the hounds that are sniffing around trying to find something. Google should be careful I think.

Let me get this straight. A company works diligently, hires the finest people, has some luck and suddenly they have the government poking in their business because why? they are successful?? Woes is me! Yahoo and Bing cry spilled milk because they are not as good? What is wrong with this picture? What will the government say to Google "Listen you are too successful. You have to try and suck just a little to get the cry babies off our case." Google is not a subscription service such as a telephone or cable TV. Keep your hand out of what is not your concern and spend time on feeding the needy or housing the homeless. This is a perfect example of what is wrong with darn politicians. It wouldn't matter if it was Yahoo or Bing which were being investigated, I would still be pissed. Don't forget the politicians work for you. If they aren't doing their job give them a bad evaluation with your vote. Yes I digress. Bottom line gtfo of where you don't belong gov't and while you are at it why don't you deliver more FEMA housing to a flood area and then say "oops" it's a flood area and you can't occupy the housing because it' not flood approved. Thank God I didn't get flooded out but the poor souls who did must be smh in disgust. Besides, anyone remember "Google Buzz?" (free pass to walk).

Try reading up. Google has gotten in trouble for anti competitive behavior in the past. Such as manipulating search results so their services show up first and collecting user information without permission.

i dont know eric shmidt, but i can definitely say I know better than you... then again, so could most on these boards except maybe gallito.. thats a toss up. Even miz is smarter than you. Hes on apple crack, but at least he is OK politically.. lol.

I have to say this and I might get some hate for it but Apple users are really quick to say that Apple is responsible for something so innovative but didn't apple just buy it? Buying something and claiming the credit doesn't sound innovative to me.

I don't care if google did the same thing, it doesn't seem right either way. This is just my opinion but hey I don't know too much on this so don't send me any nasty grams thank you.

I like this comment. Double standard of the iphone fans. Don't worry even though the iphone is a decent phone and I do like it but I also used to like blackberries so that's where they are heading it seems but its only my opinion. Fyi iphone users I know u guys are very sensitive just remind urself its just an opinion :).

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